Group's formation should bolster S.J. grand jury

STOCKTON - Every year, a group of ordinary citizens gets together to investigate local government through the grand jury process.

Zachary K. Johnson

STOCKTON - Every year, a group of ordinary citizens gets together to investigate local government through the grand jury process.

The investigations shine light on what governments do as well as having the power to enact change, said former grand jury members who have come together to form a new organization that will act as both a support system and cheerleader for the San Joaquin County civil grand jury and what it does.

The new county chapter of the California Grand Jurors' Association is 25 members strong, made up of people who say they recognize the importance of the grand jury process.

"It's the one place local citizens can come together, ... look at any public entity and make sure it's performing its function, doing it efficiently and doing it well," said Gary Spaugh, a former grand jury foreman and the president of the new county organization. "It's our right as citizens to know what is going on."

Each year, a new grand jury is formed using volunteers able to devote time during the yearlong process, from training to investigation to issuing reports with findings and recommendations. The governments subject to the investigation are required by law to respond.

In addition to training and other support, the new organization will try to strengthen the value of each grand jury's effort by keeping the spotlight on issues raised in the yearly reports, said Spaugh, a 67-year-old semiretired health care administrator.

The reports can make a difference, he said.

Members of the group took findings from a grand jury report that was critical of group homes for at-risk youths and state oversight of the system. It wasn't the only bombshell about state monitoring of residential facilities for both adults and children that surfaced across the state last year.

But the former grand jury members made sure state officials saw the county report, too, saying it added to the drumbeat for action. And they point to the governor's proposed budget released earlier this year, which includes additional dollars for the Community Care Licensing Division to oversee facilities like the facilities housing vulnerable children from San Joaquin County.

"It is exactly the point of the chapter. We want to tell that story over and over again," Spaugh said.

Spaugh and others with the new group will also speak at social clubs and other organizations to try to drum up more prospective grand jurors.

There's even a plan to set up a table at this year's Asparagus Festival in Stockton.

The idea is to expand the pool of possible jurors who have the time and the skills to do the job well. "We need to spread our wings a little bit, and we need a more diverse group," said Lou Meyer, a former grand juror and vice president of the new organization.

And once the new jurors sign up, the former jurors will be close at hand to help from start to finish, he said. "There's a lot to learn, and you need to learn it quickly."

Last year's grand jury looked into the quality of drinking water, how governments sold unneeded assets and evaluated the local criminal justice system. Its report on the city of Stockton's financial condition stressed the importance of fiscally educated civic leaders. There were other reports, both on new issues and following up on reports from previous juries.

Even if one grand jury's work doesn't overhaul an entire system, it still can make progress, said John Britto. "Everybody is looking for the home run," he said. "My contribution has to be measured in inches."

Britto, 70, is a retired San Joaquin Delta College instructor and a self-described "serial volunteer." He will volunteer for a few years in one area, then move on to the next, he said. After finishing up three years volunteering with Charterhouse Center for Families, he saw the grand jury was looking for members.

He signed up. But one year wasn't enough, so he stayed to help with the new local chapter of the association to help both train and recruit.

A juror can do a lot in a year, he said. "If you bring your A game, you're going to make a difference."

The new organization can add more quality, continuity and credibility to an important process to shed light on local government, said Superior Court Judge George J. Abdallah Jr., who oversees the grand jury.

"That's always important in a democracy: that elected officials remember the source of their authority," he said.

And those are the citizens themselves.

Contact reporter Zachary K. Johnson at (209) 546-8258 or zjohnson@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/johnsonblog and on Twitter @zacharykjohnson.